Loose-leaf binder



Jan. 29, 1929.

N. C. DE. LDSS LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed April 17, 1926 wNvENToR, (/uw h-M- H\S ATTOR EY.

Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES NORMAN CLAYBAUGH DE LOSS, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed April 17, 1926. Serial No. 102,800.

My invention relates to an improved loose leaf binder and moreparticularly it relates to an expansible loose leaf binder.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved loose leafbinder which is automatically expansible.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved loose leafbinder which is automatically expansible and provided with a protectiveback upon which data of the contents of the binder may be placed.

Another object of my invention is to provide an extensible loose leafbinder in which there are no undesirable projections to prevent thebinder from being stacked or arranged in the files occupying but aminimum amount of space.

Other objects and advantages of my invention and the invention itselfwill be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of an embodimentof my improved binder contracted;

Fig. 2 shows a similar view of the embodiment expanded;

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentar horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 0Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing one of thespring drums in section and one in elevation;

Fig. 4 shows a vertical sectional view of my invention taken on the line4-4: of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 shows a horizontal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. .6 shows a vertical sectional View of the back enlarged twice'thesize of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 shows a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of the embodimentof Fig. 1 showing one cover open;

Fig. 8 shows a detail view of one means of fastening the elastic stripand extension strips; and a 1 Fig. 9 shows a modification of theembodiments of Figs. 1 to 8.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings wherein like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout the drawings andspecification, at 1 and 2, I show covers of my loose leaf binder havingrecesses 3, 4, 5 and 6 extending from the inner surfaces preferablydisposed in the ends adjacent a back 12 and formed by the U-shapedplates 56 and 57 secured to the reduced portions 90 and 91 of thecovers, and adapted to house spring drums 11, 13, 14 and 15. The springdrums are preferably constructed and operate similarto the conventionaltypewriter carriage return spring drums and of substantially the sametension, and are adapted to rotate in suitable bearing rods 60, 61, 62and 63 anchored in the U-shaped plates 56 and 57. One end of the spring27 is secured to one of the bearing rods 60, and is coiled about thesame, the opposite end of the spring is then riveted to the interiorwall of the casing 11, which is adapted to rotate on the bearing rod.

'A pair of binder straps 7 and 8 are employed to hold the coverstogether, by preferably riveting their ends to the periphery of thespring drum casings,'and retain leaves 75 in the binder by passingthrough a pair of holes 24 formed in the inner ends of each of theleaves.

Two spring drum casings are carried by each cover, two in the recessformed by each of the U-shaped plates 56 and 57, the spring drum casingsand associated parts being preferably identical in construction, but onepair of spring drums and one strap will be described in detail.

One end of the binder strap 7 is preferably riveted at 16 to the springdrum casing lland is wrapped about substantially the entire peripherythereof and extends tangentially therefrom. The opposite end of thestrap is secured in a like manner at 17 to the spring, drum casing 13and is also wrapped about the casing, the two spring drums causing atension to be exerted on the strap in opposite directions tending tocontinually draw the covers and their associated parts together. Thespring drum casings are mounted to rotate on vertical axes in therecesses. The side of the strap 7 is disposed vertically when it leavesthe spring drum casing and passes over a pair of rods 19 and 20 securedin the recess 3 adjacent a preferably rectangular opening 21 provided inthe lower wall of the U-shaped plate 56, the longer sides of the openingbeing parallel to the rear wall of the binder through which the strapenters after passing over the rods. The rods are arranged at rightangles each to the other so that when the strap passes, first over 19and then over 20, the side of the strap, \which was formerly disposed ona vertical plane, will now be turned at right angles to its initialposition to enable it to slide in and out of the rectangular opening inthe lower wall in the U-shaped plate. The width of the strap ispresented at right angles to the slots 21 provided in the U-shapedplates 56 and 57 carried by the binder covers 1 and 2 and the slits 25in the leaves 75 to retain the leaves from accidental displacement.

In a like manner, as above described, the strap extends down through arectangular opening 28 provided in the upper wall of the lower U-shapedplate and passes over a pair of rods 29 and 80, arranged at right anglesto each other and anchored in the U-shaped plate 57 adjacent therectangular opening and is secured to the spring drum casing 13preferably by rivets 17, and partly surrounds the same in a manneridentical with the upper end thereof, as heretofore described at 11 and16, respectively.

My improved expansible back, generally indicated by the numeral 12,preferably comprises a hollow plate 40, supported by a pair of extensionwebs l1 and 42, secured at their inner ends to elastic strips a l andi?) adjacent to each other at the interior of the hollow plate. Theopposite ends of the elastic strips are secured to the interior wall ofthe plate 40 by rivets "l5 and 4.6 or the like. The oppositehorizontally extending ends 72 and 73 of the extension webs project fromopenings in the upper and lower ends ofthe hollow plate and are disposedparallel to and secured to the U-shaped plates 56 and 57 at and 51, byrivets 96 orthe like. The extension webs and elastic strips may besecured together in any suitable manner preferably by means of stitchesas 48 and l9. One preferred manner of stitching of these parts togetheris shown in Fi g. 8 of the drawings wherein the extension strips areprovided with reenforcing strips 81. The elastic strips and extensionwebs are preferably arranged parallel to each other in the interior 53of the plate and at substantial right angles to the horizontallyextending portions of the extension webs. Slots 54 and 55 provided inthe ends of the hollow plate permit the extension webs to slide back andforth therein to enable the binder to expand automatically as additionalleaves are placed on the strips in the same.

The edges of the hollow plate 40 are preferably rounded at and 71 toprevent any undesirable cutting of the extension webs when they passthrough the openings 54 and 55 and over the rounded ends of the hollowplate when expanding. This arrangement further permits the extensionwebs to be extended with a minimum amount of frictional resistance beingset up between the same and the ends of the hollow plate, and moreefficiently permits the binder to be expanded.

Referring to Fig. 9 of the drawings, I have illustrated a modificationof the straps and rods of the foregoing figures and description.

At 35 I show a strap of circular cross section which is secured to thespring drum casing 11 by rivets 16, or the like, and partly surroundsthe casing and then tangentially leaves the same and passes over a rod20 anchored at its ends to the U-shaped plates 56, one rod only beingnecessary in this embodiment by virtue of the circular form of thestrap. The strap after passing over the rod and curving around the samewill enter a circular hole 38 disposed in the lower wall of the U-shapedplate adjacent the rod and slightly larger in diameter than the diameterof the strap, and extends to and enters a circular hole 82 provided inthe upper wall of the lower U-shaped plate 57'. The strap then passesover the rod 29 and partly around the same on to the casing 13" and issecured preferably by rivets 17 to the outer periphery of the casing.

The circular strap employed in this embodiment of my invention has theeconomic advantage of dispensing with the use of one red in each recessand further reduces the wear and twisting strain on the straps.

The extension webs inv length are each preferably one half the minimumthickness of the binder, and the elastic strips are sufficientlyresilient to be stretched to enable the binder to be automaticallyexpanded more than dou ble its minimum thickness. When it is desired toinsert a leaf in the hinder, the covers are automatically separated byexerting a slight force against the tension of the springs and elasticstrips and the slits 25 in. the leaves are passed over the straps sothat'the holes 24 surround the straps. hen a leaf is to be removed fromthe hinder the cover is swung open as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawingsand the leaf withdrawn by passing the straps through the slits 25 in theleaves.

A binder constructed in the manner set forth in the foregoing dispenseswith any manual adjustment of the parts permitting the binder to expandor contract automatically by virtue of the springs and straps. The backis also expanded or contracted automatically, the extension portionsthereof telescoping into the hollow plate of the back in contractedposition and extending out of the same in expanded position to afford aprotective back for the binder leaves when the same is either inexpanded or contracted position. Dust or dirt is less likely to enterthe binder provided with my improved. protective back when the sameremains in its filing place a period of time.

When the binder has been expanded substantially twice its normalthickness by Virtue of filing a plurality of leaves therein, the dataconcerning the contents of the binder is placed on the back. The bindermay then be readily filed on filing shelves when it has been filled withleaves without offering any undesirable projections so that the binderwill occupy but a minimum amount of space. The data on the back is atall times presented to view savlng considerable time in removing fromand returning the same to the filing shelves.

The straps are of sufiicient length to permit the covers of the bindersto be swung into full open position when the same is expanded to itsmaximum thickness to permit leaves to be inserted or removed. Thetension of the springs is great enough to hold the covers in closedposition at all times, manual force being necessary in order to open thebinder. The straps and extension strips function together to retain thebinder in assembled and compact relationship.

Having thus described my invention I am aware that numerous andextensive departures may be made from the embodiments herein illustratedand described, but without departing from the spirit of my inven tion.

What I claim is 1. In an automatic expanding loose leaf bindercomprising top and bottom covers, binder straps, a back, said backcomprising a rigid portion and a flexible extensible portion, and meanscarried by each of the covers to pull the covers toward each other bythe agency of the binder straps.

2. A loose leaf binder comprising top and bottom covers, binder straps,a back, said back having flexible strips and elastic strips secured toeach other at one end inpairs, the outer end of each flexible stripsecured to one of the covers, the other end of each elastic stripsecured to the back, and means carried by said covers to exert a pull onthe covers towards each other through the agency of said binder straps.

3. In a loose leaf binder, the combination with a pair of covers, ofresilient means connected with the covers to draw them toward each otherand a back carried by said covers, said back having a rigid portion andextensible portions.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of relatively movable covers, aplurality of drums and a resilient means connected to each of thecovers, said means comprising a plurality of flat flexible binderstraps, each connected to a pair of said drums, retractile springs insaid drums, said drums j ournaled in the binder covers, and said springsexerting a constant pull upon the binder straps drawing the coverstowards each other.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of relatively movable covers, aplurality of drums and a resilient means connected to each of thecovers, said means comprising a plurality of flat flexible binderstraps, each connected to a pair of said drums, retractile springs insaid drums, said drums ournaled in the binder covers and said springsexerting a constant pull upon the binder straps drawing the coverstowards each other, and a back carried by said covers, said back havinga rigid portion and an extensible portion.

6. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of relatively movable covers, saidcovers each comprising a solid portion and a hollow portion, andresilient means mounted in the hollow portion of each of said covers,and flat flexible binder straps connected to said means, said resilientmeans adapted to constantly exert a pull on the straps to draw thecovers towards each other, and a back carried by said covers, said backhaving a rigid portion and an extensible portion.

7. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of relatively movable covers, saidcovers each comprising a solid portion and a hollow portion, resilientmeans mounted in thehollow portion ofv each of said covers, flatflexible binder straps connected to said means, said resilient meansadapted to constantly exert a pull on the straps to draw the coverstowards each other, and an extensible back, said back comprising a rigidportion, a pair of flexible strips and a pair of elastic strips securedto each other. said flexible strips secured to the binder covers andsaid elastic strips secured to the rigid portion of the back.

8. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of relatively movable covers, eachcomprising a solid portion and a hollow portion, a plurality of springdrums rotatably mounted in the hollow portions of the covers, aplurality of flat flexible binder straps having their ends secured tothe said drums, and adapted to exert a pull upon the covers toconstantly draw them towards each other, and means comprising aplurality of guide pins disposed at right angles to each other aboutwhich the straps extend, adapted to twist the straps at rightanglesintermediate their ends.

9. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of relatively movable covers, eachcomprising a solid portion and a hollow portion, a plurality of springdrums rotatably mounted in the hollow portions of the covers, aplurality of flat flexible binder straps having their ends secured tothe said drums, and adapted to exert a pull upon the covers toconstantly draw them towards each other, and means comprising aplurality of guide pins disposed at right angles to each other aboutwhich the straps extend, adapted to twist the straps at right anglesintermediate their ends, and a back carried by said covers, said backhaving a rigid portion and an extensible portion.

10. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of relatively movable covers, eachcomprising a solid portion and a hollow portion, a plurality of springdrums rotatably mounted in the hollow port-ions of the covers, aplurality of flat flexible binder straps having their ends secured tothe said drums, and adapted to exert a pull upon the covers toconstantly draw them towards each other, and guide means disposed Withinthe hollow portion in the covers and binderstraps connected to of thecovers about which the straps extend said drums and adapted to draw thecovers adapted to twist the straps at right angles intowards each otherby virtue of the retrac- 10 tel-mediate their ends. tibility of saidspring means.

5 11. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of rela- In testimony whereof Ihereunto affix iny tively movable binder covers, retractile springsignature this 27th day of March, 1926. means carried in rotatable drumsjournaled NORMAN CLAYBAUGH DE LOSS.

